Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from San Jose to Newark. Left side wins both the departure over Costa Rica's volcanic highlands and the arrival into New York Harbor with the Manhattan skyline. The right side offers Caribbean coastline glimpses over the ocean but nothing that competes with active volcanoes at takeoff and Lower Manhattan on approach.

During takeoff from Juan Santamaria International (SJO), sit on the Left side for the best views. Juan Santamaría's primary departure runway 07 sends the aircraft northeast, putting the Central Valley and the Irazú and Turrialba volcano complex on the left (north) side. You get a direct look at the volcanic ridge that defines the backbone of Costa Rica's highlands. Notable sights include: Volcán Irazú (3,432m), Volcán Turrialba (3,340m), the Central Valley urban sprawl of San José, Cartago city below the volcanoes.

When landing at Newark Liberty International (EWR), sit on the Left side for the best views. EWR's primary arrival runway 22L brings aircraft in from the northeast over New York Harbor, placing Manhattan, the Hudson River, and the Statue of Liberty on the left side. The entire Lower Manhattan skyline is directly in view during the approach. Notable sights include: Lower Manhattan skyline, Hudson River, Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in the distance.

The flight from Juan Santamaria International (SJO) to Newark Liberty International (EWR) takes Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours.

The route tracks north-northwest over Nicaragua and Honduras, crossing the Gulf of Honduras and the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, then over the Gulf of Mexico or western Cuba depending on routing, before crossing Florida or the Bahamas and tracking up the US East Coast over the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic states toward New Jersey.